Apron-feed for perforating-machines.



G. H. DAVIS.

APEON EEED EOE PERFORMING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.24, 1912.

Patented Ap1..28,1914.

L lh' |41.. Il( llllll. I

G. H. DAVIS.

APRON FEED FOR PERFORMING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0GT.24, 1912.

1,094,537. Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ma/4W' COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON. DA c.

GEORGE HOWLETT DAVIS, OF JVEST ORANGE. NEW JERSEY.

APRON-FEED FOR PERFOR-ATING-MACHINES.

Specication of Letters Eatent.

Patented Apr. 23, 191i.

Application filed October 24, 1912. Serial No. 727,523.

To all l107mm 'it may conce/1n Be it known that I, GEORGE HowLE'r'r Davis, a citizen of the United States, residing in the town of West Grange, county of Fssex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apron-Feeds for Ferforating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

ln my prior Patent, No. 059,053, dated Oct. 2, 1900, l have shown and described a form of apron feed for drawing a single sheet or a number of sheets of paper through a music roll perforating machine. It is now and has been the practice for many years to mount the rolls of paper to be perforated upon a 1ack and draw the separate sheets from such rolls over guides to the point where they pass into the perforating machine. Reliance for drawing the paper through the machine has been entirely placed upon some feeding mechanism such for eX- ample as that described in my above named patent. It is quite obvious however that the tension of the several strips of paper they are drawn from their respective rolls will not be uniform. These various tensions among the strips o-f paper are due to many causes, as friction in spindles upon which the rolls are mounted; friction of guide rollers; etc. Their effect upon the paper is frequently to throw the edges of the superposed strips out of alinement as they pass along the guides of the perfo-rater up to the punches.

It might be thought that the guides, and rollers located along the edges of the strips would rectify or ustify all of the edges; but in practice a particular strip with its edge out of alinement as it enters the machine, will so remain all the way through and as a consequence the perforations of such a strip will be inaccurate, and the completed roll will not track properly in the player instrument for which it was intended. rihe gist of the difhculty lies in permitting the strains and tensions to take place in the several strips of paper just at the point where they enter the guides of the perforat-or. Since adopting the mechanism` hereinafter de-v scribed for overcoming these tensions in the paper, no losses from inaccurately alined perforations have occurred; while prior to that time, the losses were heavy and frequently an entire cutting had to be thrown outas worthless.

The object, therefore, of my improvement .scribed in said prior patent.

is to obviate the difliculties above pointed out and to provide mechanism whereby .'arying strains and tensions in the several strips of paper will be entirely overcome, and the natural phenomena of gravity and agitation allowed to do their work in properly alining the edges of the several strips of paper.

ln carrying out inyvinvention l make use of the arrangement of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1, is a side elevation of a type of perforating machine, with improved apron feed attachment. Fig. 2, illustrates in side elevation a slightly modified form of driving mechanism for the feed. Fig. 3, is a similar Aview showing a modified form of apron feed. Fig. el, is a cross section of the apron feed showing a form of clamping plate similar to that shown in my aforesaid patent. Fig. 5, is a view similar to Fig. il, but showing a modified form of clamping plates. Figs. 6, 7, and S illustrate in detail the upper and lower clamping plates. Fig. 9 illustrates a cross sectional view of the side frame of the apron feed sho-wing the tracks for the antifriction rollers carried by the clamping plate. Fig. 10 illustrates an enlarged detail view of the ratchet mechanism.

The details of the perforating machine are fully described in my prior patent above referred to, and need not be further described here than to set forth its general features. It consists of the table 1, upon which are mounted the punch setting devices 2, 3, the punch operating mechanism 5, and the forward apron feed 6, all substantially as described in my said prior patent. Power is communicated to the pulley 7, through the belt S, from any convenient source, and by it the shaft 9, is driven at a high rate of speed. The apron feed 6, serves to draw the several superposed strips of paper 10, through the machine and beneath the punches, all as de- If, now, the paper is drawn directly from the rolls l1, as they are mounted upon the rack 12, the strains and tensions will be such as to olisturb the alinement of the edges of the superposed strips, and cause some to crowd over upon one side and others upon the opposite side of the guideway 13 leading to the punches. To avoid this, I provide a second apron feed 14, alike in all essential respects to the' apron feed 6, but so located with respect to the end of the perforator table 1, as

to permit a portion of the super-posed strips of paper to form a loop 15, hanging down from the apron feed 14. This apron feed is driven by means of an eccentric 16 upon the shaft 9, with the connecting rod 17 leading therefrom to the ratchet drive mechanism 18.

The paper rack 12, is shown as mounted upon an elevated platform 19, with the strips of paper leading from the several rolls 11 to the guide rollers 21, thence down ward through the apron feed 14, which latter is firmly secured to the edge of the platform 19. Atthe end of the table 1, I provide an inclined frame 22, in which are supported a plurality of guide rollers 23, through which the paper is threaded, thence leading it through the machine to the apron feed G. The speedsI of the two apron feeds 6 and 14, are exactly the same, so that after forming the loop 15, it is constantly maintained.

The details of the apron feed as hitherto described are substantially the same as those illustrated in my prior patent. As hitherto described, the apron feed 6 and the apron feed 16 are substantially the same, and a description of one will suflice for the other. Two supporting plates 26 are secured to the end of the table 1, and project horizontally from said table. They are located at a distance sufficiently far apart to receive the multi-ply strips of paper as they pass through the perforating mechanism T he supporting plates 26 are substantially alike Xcept one is a right and the other is a left and they are each provided with olfset arms 27, 2S, 29, and 30 which carry the sprocket shafts 31, 32, 33, and 34. Upon each of the sprocket shafts is mounted a pair of sprocket wheels as 35, which are located closely adjacent to the arms 27, 2S, etc. Around these eight sprocket wheels are carried the four chains 36, 37, 38, and 39, and they are provided at intervals throughout their length with cross plates and 41. These cross plates are connected to specially formed links 42, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in any convenient manner. The cross plates 41 upon the upper chains are provided with the pressure plates 43, which are secured to the plates 41 by means of the headed bolt 44, which latter is surrounded by the spring 45 to cause the plate 43 to be spring pressed away from the plate 41. I also provide the guide plate 46 upon the plate 41 to guide the plate 43 in its reciprocations toward and away from the plate 41. rlhe plates 43 and 40 are so arranged upon the chains 36, and 37 that as the sets of chains travel together, said plates will register, and the plate 43, being a spring pressed plate, will be clamped against the corresponding plate 40, by means of the spring 45 or clamp the material as for example, multi-ply strips of paper 10, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 8.

lf desired, I may substitute for the springs 45 between the clamping plate 43 and the cross plate 41, the heavy strip of rubber 48, as shown in Fig. 5.

Upon the inner sides of the fra-mes 26, are the tracks 26 between which the sprocket chains are drawn, and which serve to draw the plates 40 and 41 together, and cause the pressure plates 43 to bear with considerable pressure upon the plates 40. Rollers 40 and 41 are provided upon the ends of the plates 40 and 41 to relieve their friction upon the tracks 26. i

As a means for driving the sprocket' chains, and as a consequence feeding` the multi-ply strips of paper through the perforating machine, I may employ substantially the same mechanism as described in my aforesaid prior patent, or I may use the mechanism illustrated in the drawings as follows: Projecting upwardly from each of the side plates 26 is a supporting arm 49, which latter carries upon the stub shaft a gear wheel 5() and a ratchet wheel 51 rigidly connected together, the gear wheel meshing with a larger gear wheel 52, rigidly mounted upon the end of the shaft 33. Upon the upper end of the arm 49 is pivoted the flat plate 53, which latter' carries a pawl 54 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 51. The spring 55 bears upon the back of the pawl 54, so as to maintain its engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 51. The plate 53 as hitherto described, is oscillated by the connecting rod 56 which in turn is connected to an eccentric upon the shaft 9 of the punch operating mechanism.

The structure of the apron feed 14 as hitherto set forth is essentially the same as the apron feed 6, just described. Minor de tails of differences however, will now be dcscribed. The gear wheel 50 and ratchet wheel 51 with its pawl mechanism 53, 54, and 55 instead of being mounted upon the projecting arm are mounted directly upon the side frame 26 of the apron feed. The connecting rod 17 leads from the eccentric mounted upon the shaft 9 directly to the plate 53 to oscillate the same and cause a step by step rotation of the ratchet wheel 51 and through it and the gear connections a step by step advance of the chains of the apron feed, as will be readily understood. 1n this case as hitherto described, the entire apron feed is supported from the elevated platform 19 which also carries the individual rolls 11 from which the strips of paper are drawn. Any convenient method of securing the apron feed 14 to this elevated platform may be used so long as it is firmly braced. I have shown a depending plate bolted to the edge of the elevated platform, as shown with a cross plate 61 rigidly secured to the side frames 26 for supporting said side frames from the plate 60. I also show a brace 62 for connecting the side frames 26 with one of the beams 63 which supports the elevated platform.

As shown, the multi-ply strips of paper are drawn from the rolls l1 down through the apron feed lit from which it is suspended in the loop 15 before it passes through the guide rollers 23. As above described, the shake or vibration of the perforating machine serves to shake the loosely superposed strips into exact alinement at their edges, so that when it passes beneath the perforating punches, this exact alinement is preserved and every sheet is perforated accurately.

In Fig. 2, .l have shown ay slight` modification of the upper apron feed. Instead of connecting the pawl and ratchet mechanism directly to the side frame of the apron feed lli, I mount the same upon the end of the table l and provide a sprocket wheel 70 and chain connection 7l with a corresponding sprocket wheel 72 upon one of the sprocket shafts 33 of the apron feed lll. I find that 'this form of structure answers very well and relieves the apron feed lle very materially of the vibrations due to the reciprocation of the connecting` rod 57. The vibration of the perforating machine itself, however, is communicated to the loop l5 and the result of alining the edges of the strips of paper is identically the same.

In F ig. 3, I have shown a` still further slight modification of the upper apron feed. In this case, lA dispense with the sprocket chains and their cross plates and substitute therefor a pair of feed rollers and 66, which are supported upon a frame 67, which latter is mounted upon the edge of the elevated platform 19. These rollers are driven by the same kind of ratchet mechanism as hitherto described. In order to insure proper pressure between the rollers as they draw the strips of paper between them, I may cover one of the rollers as G5 with bands of rubber as 68. The paper in this case is drawn from the rolls in the rack upon the elevated platform in substantially the same manner as hitherto described, and is led down through the loop l5 where it is shaken or agitated by the vibrations of the perforating machine into proper alinement.

The various forms of apron feed all contemplate the drawing of the strips of paper into the slack loop 15 prior to their passage into the perforating machine proper, and while I have shown in the drawings several of the forms which my improvement may take, I do not wish to be considered as confining my invention to the forms illustrated and described, for it consists primarily of providing mechanism for drawing the several strips of paper from their individual rolls and permitting said stripsof paper to hang loosely in a loop or festoon whence it may be drawn through the perforating machine by the forward apron feed 6 with the edges of the strips of paper in accurate alinement.

I claim:

l. In a system for perforating multi-ply sheets of paper, the combination with perforating mechanism, ot' a rack for containing the paper in individual rolls, intermittentfeeding mechanism for drawing the sheets of paper from said rolls to permit the same to form a suspended loop before passing into said perforating mechanism, intermittent apron feeding mechanism in advance of said perforating mechanism for drawing said paper therethrough, and means for actuating both of said feeding mechanisms in unisin whereby said suspended loop maintained.

2. ln a system for perforating multi-ply strips of paper, the combination with suitable perforating mechanism, of means for causing several superposed strips of paper to form and maintain a suspended loop before passing into said perforating mechanism, and means for drawing said superposed strips through said perforating mechanism.

8. In a system for perforating multi-ply strips of paper, the combination with suitable perforating mechanism, of mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of superposed strips of paper to said perforating mechanism, and for forming and maintaining said strips in a slack festoon or loop before passing into said perforating mechamsm. i

+L. In a perforating system, the combination with suitable perforating mechanism, a rack for supporting the strips of paper in separate rolls, intermittent feeding mechanism for drawing said strips of paper from said rolls, and for forming and maintaining the superposed strips in a hanging festoon or loop before they are drawn into said perforating mechanism, and intermittent feeding mechanism for drawing said strips of paper from said loop through said perfo rating mechanism.

In a perforating system, the combination with suitable perforating mechanism, of a rack elevated above said perforating mechanism for supporting` a plurality of strips of paper in individual rolls, intermittent feeding mechanism for drawing said strips of paper from said rolls downwardly to form a suspended loop and a second feeding mechanism for drawing said strips of paper through said perforating mechanism from said loop.

6. In Va perforating system, the combina tion with suitable perforating mechanism, of a rack elevated above and independent of s aid perforating mechanism for supporting a plurality of strips of paper in individual rolls, intermittent feeding mechanism for drawing said strips of paper from said rolls downwardly to form a suspended loop, a second intermittent feeding mechanism for drawing said strips of paper through said perforating' mechanism from said loop and means for actuating said feeding mechanism in unison to maintain said loop.

T. In a perforating system, the combination with suitable perforating mechanism of means for drawing a plurality of super-posed strips of paper through said perforating mechanism, and means for forming and maintaining` said superposed strips in a slack fes-toon or loop in advance of their passage through said perforating mechanism.

S. 1n a system for perforating multi-ply sheets of paper, the combination with perforating mechanism, of a rack for containing the paper in individual rolls, step by step feeding mechanism for drawing the sheets of paper from said rolls to permit the same to form a suspended loop before passing into said perforating mechanism, step by step apron feeding mechanism in advance of said perforating mechanism for drawing said paper therethrough, and means for actuating both of said feeding mechanisms in unison whereby said suspended loop is maintained.

9. In a perforating` system, the combination with suitable perforating mechanism, a rack for supporting the strips of paper in separate rolls, step by step feeding mechanism for drawingI said strips of paper from said rolls, and for forming the superposed strips into a hanging festoon or loop before they are drawn into said perforating mechanism, and step by step feeding mechanism for drawing said strips of paper from said loop through said perforating mechanism.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of Oct. 1912.

GEORGE HOVLETT DAVTS. Vitnesses Louis M. SANDERS, MAY VAN NESS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. C. 

